Computer Question - Jewel Lights

[pbradt]

Yes, that's what I use for the "Jamzone" recordings. I convert the audio to aiff and then import.

Jack, I have two internals in the G4. On the G4, I use an 80GB for system and apps and I store on (and record to) the 120.

I use a FireWiredrive with the iBook but I can tell you this: I use generic components. Other than the MBox itself, I don't use ANY "Digi-approved" stuff, and my results are what you hear. Maybe it's different with Windoz versions but on the Mac, I can pretty much use whatever I want. If I were you, I'd use a Firewire drive and run PT from your laptop's drive.

I'm using the MP3 export feature but it's just a trial and I don't know if I'll buy it when the trial runs out, we'll see. Don't know how much it costs.

But really, you need to get PT onto a much zippier desktop as your main editing rig. Laptops are ok for remote recording, with limited track count (I usually bounce a backing track to disk and import it into PT for remote recording because on my iBook, track count is severely limited). Then I drag the audio file recorded on the iBook back to the G4 when I get home, and import it into the original session, where I have 1ghz of processor and 1gb of RAM.

But I think you need a desktop for this in the worst way.

[JPage]

I didn't read everything that was posted but I thought I would mention that I got a REAL legal copy of Windows XP Professional from my work today... downloading SP2 right now.. woohoo!

[pc]

UPDATE:

Thanks to some helpful folks at the DUC forum (linking me to the even more helpful folks at RME Audio) I was turned onto the extremely simple fix of reinstalling my old SP1 drivers for my firewire port and stopping XP from automatically going back to the SP2 drivers.

Voila! I am deep in ProTools again. I still haven't fixed the issue of getting my 002-R and my external fw hard-drive working at the same time, but I don't care about that right now. I can at least do TFF and LPF jams by using my more than ample internal drive, then archive them to the external HD later. By the time I ever need to do a 16-track recording again, hopefully Digidesign will have figured out whazzup.

As for the #$@#^ jewel lights, they still don't update like they used to--pretty hit & miss now. Same problem even if I use FireFox.

Oh well. That I can live with. Pressing F5 for the occasional refresh isn't all that tough. :)

[pbradt]

<whisper>you really want a mac</whisper>

[pc]

Wha? Who, me? No.

Well...


It sure would be nice to have a Mac for my studio. I had really bad luck when I tried to switch last year, but with my expectations in the right order--i.e., base it around my ProTools rig and just use my XP laptop for email/'Net/general biz...

(Shhh, don't tell anyone, but I just found out my favorite gear catalog/online store is dealing Mac stuff now, and I could buy it on the same 5-payment plan I buy my gear on. Ooooohhhhhh. )

[fezz parka]

PT will run fine on a PC. Just don't plan on doing anything else with the computer! :hee

[pc]

Chris, that is so true.

Like I told Pete earlier, it seems Intel/AMD still has the processing power edge over Mac. In the "DaveC" tests, people are typically getting 24 tracks w/5 plugins each and between 2 and 8 additional Aux tracks maxed out with plugins on the newest Intel & AMD chip Windows machines, compared to somewhat reduced results on the Macs.

However, if it crashes one out of every two times I use it, I think I can live without the extra power. Then there's the real-world factor of, how often does a semi-pro like me need ProTools LE for that many tracks and that many plugins? For serious tracking in serious studios, there's no question that TDM is the way to go.

But back to your original point, that seems to be the consensus I'm getting. If you want the best machine for PT LE, build a dedicated Windows machine and DON'T USE IT FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

If you want stability across a wider range of applications including PT LE, Mac might be the way to go.

Still pondering, but at least while I ponder I can do some tracking again... :)